blow up
phrasal verbblow up
- to explode; to be destroyed by an explosion
- The bomb blew up.
- A police officer was killed when his car blew up.
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- to start suddenly and with force
- A storm was blowing up.
- A crisis has blown up over the President's latest speech.
blow something up
- to destroy something by an explosion
- The police station was blown up by terrorists.
- to fill something with air or gas so that it becomes fairly hard
- The tyres on my bike need blowing up.
- to make a photograph bigger synonym enlarge related noun blow-up
- to make something seem more important, better, worse, etc. than it really is
- The whole affair was blown up out of all proportion.
blow up (at somebody)
- (informal) to get angry with somebody synonym lose your temper
- I'm sorry I blew up at you.